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Celebration - Scrimmage vs. Ohio Dominican
Alec Schoof

Hilltopper Volleyball Begins 2023 Season at Ashland Tournament

8/31/2023 1:34:00 PM

West Liberty, W.Va. – Coming off the biggest season in program history the West Liberty University volleyball program looks to continue the momentum into this weekend's 2023 season opening tournament. The Hilltoppers will play Parkside, Ashland, Central State, and New Haven in this weekend's tournament at Ashland, hosted by the Eagles at Kates Gymnasium.

GAME DETAILS
  • Location: Ashland, Ohio (Kates Gymnasium)
  • First Serve: Friday at 11 A.M. vs. Parkside, Friday at 7 P.M. at Ashland, Saturday at 10:30 A.M. vs. Central State, Saturday at 4:30 P.M. vs. New Haven
WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES
  • West Liberty posted a 21-13 (10-6 MEC) record in 2022, finishing third in the North Division of the Mountain East Conference.
  • The Hilltoppers made their first-ever NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament Appearance a year ago, falling in the first round of the Atlantic Regional to Clarion 3-0 by set scores of 26-24, 25-16, and 25-21.
  • WLU was picked third in the North Division of the 2023 MEC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
  • Last season West Liberty hit .183 while averaging 12.4 kills, 11.3 assists, 1.7 aces, 17.5 digs, and 2.2 blocks per set.
  • Nyia Setla returns at libero after earning Third Team D2CCA All-American last season, she led the MEC and ranked third in NCAA Division II in both digs (707) and digs per set (5.80).
  • Riley Cudnik and Kaija Sydlowski are the top two returning attackers, recording 252 kills (2.42 kills per set) and 192 kills (1.66 kills per set) respectively.
  • Sydlowski led WLU with 40 service aces followed by Seta who had 35.
  • Haley Zeck returns at setter who posted 677 assists in 2022.
  • Four players return having recorded 200+ digs last season as Setla notched 707, while Sydlowski added 276, Katelyn Fritz added 254, and Zeck added 209.
  • Cudnik and Liv McAtee are the top two returners in blocks with 70.0 and 47.0 respectively.
  • Riley Jarrett enters her fourth season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 49-30 with the Hilltoppers.
PARKSIDE STORYLINES
  • Parkside posted a 9-20 (3-15 GLIAC) record in 2022, finishing ninth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference.
  • UWP was picked ninth in the 2023 GLIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
  • Last season Parkside hit .178 while averaging 10.8 kills, 9.9 assists, 1.9 aces, 13.8 digs, and 2.0 blocks per set.
  • Ava Irvin is the returning attacker for UWP, notching 226 kills and 2.09 kills per set in 2022.
  • Karlee Lois is the top returning setter after passing out 341 assists last season averaging 5.17 per set.
  • Elizabeth Truckenrod returns after leading the Rangers with 40 service aces a year ago, she also collected the most digs by a returner with 257 and 2.42 per set.
  • Lexi Packard collected 62.0 blocks last season and added 175 kills.
  • Leigh Barea enters her sixth season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 43-90 with the Rangers.
SERIES HISTORY
  • First-ever meeting between West Liberty and Parkside.
ASHLAND STORYLINES
  • Ashland posted a 23-9 (16-1 GMAC) record in 2022, winning the South Division of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
  • The Eagles made their ninth NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament appearance a year ago, falling in the first round of the Midwest Regional to Ferris State 3-1 by set scores of 27-25, 21-25, 25-17, and 25-19.
  • AU was picked to win the South Division of the 2023 GMAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
  • Last season Ashland hit .232 while averaging 13.3 kills, 12.3 assists, 1.4 aces, 17.3 digs, and 2.1 blocks per set.
  • Makenna Belcher was one of two Eagles to record 300+ kills last season with 337 and 3.15 per set. Belcher also led Ashland with 41 service aces in 2022.
  • Ashland looks to replace Zoey Peck at setter who passed out 1,078 assists last season, AU's top returner in assists is Katie Thompson who added 67 last season. Thompson led the Eagles with 585 digs a year ago, averaging 5.47 per set.
  • Anna Krikke led Ashland with 110.0 blocks in 2022, averaging 1.06 per set.
  • Katie Kuhn enters her first season as the head coach at Ashland, bringing in a 51-19 career record after three seasons as the head coach at Ohio Northern.
SERIES HISTORY
  • First-ever meeting between West Liberty and Ashland.
CENTRAL STATE STORYLINES
  • Central State posted a 4-27 (4-15 SIAC) record in 2022, finishing fifth in the West Division of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference.
  • CSU was picked fourth in the West Division of the 2023 SIAC Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
  • Last season Central State hit .078 while averaging 9.3 kills, 8.6 assists, 1.6 aces, 13.3 digs, and 1.4 blocks per set.
  • Diamond James is the top returner to watch for Central State, being the top returning stat leader in kills with 162 (1.53 per set), assists with 17, service aces with 33, and blocks with 45.0.
  • Zahra Coats is the Marauders top defensive player returning from 2022, last season she was fourth on the team with 163 digs and an average of 2.04 digs per set.
  • Anitra Brockman enters her second season as the head coach at Central State with a career record of 4-27 with the Marauders.
SERIES HISTORY
  • West Liberty leads the all-time series 1-0.
  • The Hilltoppers swept the Marauders by scores of 25-13, 25-12, and 25-18 on September 3, 2022, in Cedarville, Ohio.
NEW HAVEN STORYLINES
  • New Haven posted a 16-12 (7-5 NE10) record in 2022, finishing sixth in the Northeast 10 Conference.
  • UNH was picked fifth in the 2023 NE10 Volleyball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
  • Last season New Haven hit .191 while averaging 11.9 kills, 11.1 assists, 1.7 aces, 17.3 digs, and 1.7 blocks per set.
  • Macy Brown is the Chargers top returner player from 2022, being the teams top returning stat leader in kills with 369, assists 45, service aces 58, and digs with 407.
  • Rilee Jesse was second on the team last season with 278 digs a year ago, marking the return of the Chargers top two defensive players.
  • New Haven also returns their top two block leaders from last season as Kylie Reynolds-Martin led the team with 70.0 blocks and Amihan Johnson added 59.0.
  • Ana Paula Pego returns as the head coach at New Haven after previously being the head coach during the 2018 season, helping the Chargers to a 15-3 start to the season.
SERIES HISTORY
  • First-ever meeting between West Liberty and New Haven.
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